I know I said this a couple days ago, but I'm hoping again to post my character tomorrow. Basically it'll be a spoiled scion of the Deverin family, exiled to Sandpoint from Magnimar for repeated bad behavior (like the time he ran away and joined a Sczarni band...).

Just trying to figure out mechanically what I want to do with him that won't be just like every other rogue in the world.

OK, I like the idea of the bluffer, so we're going to go with that. Still need a name, but that's usually the last thing I come up with. Also, I was thinking of taking the charlatan archetype, which I think would play up his social aspects well -- would that be useful in terms of the rumor spreading ability in this campaign? Otherwise, I'll probably stick with the trap stuff. Also, couldn't remember, average starting gold? Oh, and I tweaked a trait (Harrow-born) to make it fit my fluff a little more, though the crunch is the same. If that's not OK, just let me know.

Trapfinding: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). A rogue can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.

Feats:

Combat Expertise: You can choose to take a –1 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +1 dodge bonus to our Armor Class. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every +4 thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the dodge bonus increases by +1. You can only choose to use this feat when you declare that you are making an attack or a full-attack action with a melee weapon. The effects of this feat last until your next turn.

Improved Feint: You can make a Bluff check to feint in combat as a move action.

Merchant Family: You are related to one of the four noble families from Magnimar who founded the Mercantile League of Sandpoint. You either grew up in Magnimar as a cousin in the Valdemar or Deverin family or were born and raised in Sandpoint. Education in running a business and years of looking after the family enterprise have given you a knack for trade. You increase the gp limit of any settlement by 20% and can resell items at an additional 10% over the amount of gp you normally would get from selling off treasure.

Harrow blessed: You've spent enough time among Varisian wanderers to be adopted into the clan. You were sent on your way with a harrow deck of your own and a Harrower's blessing, which gives you a +1 Initiative.

Racial traits:

+2 to One Ability Score: Applied to Charisma.
Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.
Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
Languages: Humans begin play speaking Common.

Background:

??? grew up in Magnimar as a scion of the Valdemar/Deverin family. Given all the benefits of rich society, he has done nothing but disappoint his family since the first time he escaped his nanny. While he managed to pick up some knowledge of the family business through sheer repetition, he constantly spent time finding his own ways to amuse himself, rarely by doing something they approved of.

Finally, they realized there was simply too much trouble he was getting into in Magnimar and made the decision to send him to his distant relatives in Sandpoint, in the hopes there was less trouble he could get into. He never arrived.

Instead, on the way, he found a group of wandering Varisians and attached himself to them, finding a home he loved far more than anything he'd ever had before, despite the lack of trappings. Finally, however, his parents were able to track him down and send him on to Sandpoint, where he arrived just in time for the dedication of the Sandpoint Cathedral dedication.

OK, I think this'll be a fun character to play, though obviously he needs a name. If anyone's interested in being the person who "recovered" him from the Varisians he'd latched onto, that could make for a fun dynamic. He won't actually hold it against you, though would probably spend a lot of time needling you.

I've never played in a fantasy football league, despite being a huge fan of football my entire life, following the draft every year, owning like 10 jerseys, and attending college games every year. I could probably be persuaded to join :)

Will try to get character done Monday. Basically I think it's just the name left, and I have been thinking about it. Debating whether I want to use Adamar (which is Louly's father's name, but still a kind of cool name) or go with something else.

Sorry, don't think I'm interested in an FFL. I think I've found I'm able to enjoy watching the games a bit more when I'm not worrying about who's scoring.

Duru was a brave hobgoblin, the first to fight no matter what the threat to his tribe. Aberrations, giant monsters, nothing was safe from his blade. A fierce protective nature led the warrior, but in time it led him away. The hobgoblins were crass and abusive with no respect for life. They destroyed their own habitat, blamed humans for the problems their own tribe created, and killed creatures for sport. With each passing season, Duru's disgust with his own kind grew and the once mighty warrior found himself often taking long walks through nature, enjoying the calm and greenery of the forest.

It was during one of these walks that his life changed forever. The yelps of goblin and man brought him running to a forest clearing. On the ground lay a gray haired human bleeding from multiple wounds, desperately trying to defend himself from the spear thrusts of two goblins. The goblins hopped about, snapping cruel taunts and arguing over who would claim the gray one's ears. Duru found himself flying into a rage, but not to help his goblin brethren, but rather against them. Their treatment of the old man, defeated and bleeding, was the final catalyst. Duru charged into the fray, slashing the goblins open while they still stared in surprise. The gray man watched the hobgoblin, certain his doom was inevitable, but when Duru dropped his weapon and began tending his wounds an unlikely friendship was formed.

Duru would never return to his tribe. For years he traveled with the elderly druid, Mugellun, that he saved that day. Mug, as Duru called him, taught the hobgoblin to love nature. He taught him the proper respect for creatures, plants, life, for the stewardship of the land that supported all. The once rage prone hobgoblin settled down his emotions, adopted the vegetarian cuisine that Mug offered, and began his training as an advocate of nature.

Mug was an old man, and several more winters sapped the last of his life force. He taught Duru much, but there was still so much more for him to learn. As the time for his passing and reclamation into earth approached, Mug discussed the path forward for his odd apprentice. He directed Duru to seek out men, tolerate their mean nature for among them he would find those that shared his beliefs and would continue his teachings. In the hobgoblin Mug saw not just another like minded soul, but an ambassador for nature that would one day change the mindset of the goblinoid tribes. Perhaps the unreasonable hopes of an old man, only time would tell if Duru the Reformed could bring change to the goblins of Golarion.

Hey all, I'm about to go to a wedding/on vacation (Aug. 3-9) and don't know how much Internet time I've got. It's possible I'll have none, but it's also possible that I'll be able to check most nights as I tend to stay up a couple hours later than my girlfriend.

Have fun Ionacu! Considering that and with Bendrauss's class ending next week, I'm going to push back the opening of the game to Tues or Weds of next week. That way' we're not RPing our party out right from the start.

I think you're overspent. That armor and backpack alone add up to 150 GP. I'm willing to give a little, so change the BP to normal and look at it again. As long as we can get closer to the 105 starting gold, we're good. Everything else looks spot-on

oopps, I built it with 150gp, the HeroLab default, and never checked the proper wealth level for a barbarian. I changed the masterwork backpack to a regular backpack and now the gear total shows as just under 103 gp and I'm left with 1 gp and 8 sp in my money pouch.

A few chunks of hide and horn armor seemed perfect for Duru and his Big Game Hunter trait and it fits with both the upcoming druid class and the hobgoblin background.

I really like using the piecemeal armor rules from ultimate combat, it just fits how characters would actual develop and mirrors history. A warrior would scrounge anything he could from a battle field, a suit of full plate was worth the price of a home in the city during the late middle ages. The Museum of the Army in Paris is a great collection of old armor, well worth a few hours if you ever find yourself there.

I'm not sure if Paris is on the list of my "to see some day", but sounds like a fine exhibit. I'd prefer heading to Scotland to see Wallace's sword or something similarly...err, Celtic? I'm sure they didn't have quite the armor that France had in their prime, of course, but they made up for it in blue paint and hallucinogens.

Aleister:

Character looks just fine; just think you owe me a quick background...really doesn't have to be much, as these are often better RP'ed amongst the crew upon meeting

Ionacu:

Cool name! Of course...did it to me again...I'll have nearly as much trouble remembering the spelling on this one as I did with Kehlysch over in SaS. Looks good, just one comment - if you were to spend your +2 for human on Dex in lieu of Char, that would free up an additional 2 points that you could spend...maybe on STR?

I think I pulled it out of the ISWG under Varisian names, but maybe I found it online. I figure he probably often goes by the nickname Yana if that helps (I'm assuming it's pronounced iYANacu, with the initial i barely heard).

Hmm, that might make sense, though I thought he needs some Cha for the concept. Actually, though, if I allocate the +2 to Dex (keeping it on 16), that would give me 5 points to play with so I could still have his Cha at 14 and bump his Str to 12. Thanks, that's perfect! I'll make that change.

Ionacu probably wouldn't randomly pick the four other PCs out of the crowd to approach, so unless someone wants to pick him, I'm ready to go on (though also am fine if you all want to role-play your interactions at this point).

Question: I feel like Ionacu would probably try to pocket the potion, especially since he doesn't know any of you yet. However, I don't want to be the player who does that to the group, so I figured I'd run it by all of you first. Obviously I'd use the potion to help the rest of you if needed and figure he'd be a bit less deceitful over time (though never completely) but he is built as a con man.

Ethan wouldn't have seen it , so he wouldn't know it was even there to take.

As a player, I got over the "he stole our imaginary loot" thing a long time ago. Honestly, I play my character as I imagine he would behave in a given situation, and if someone else does the same, it's no skin off my nose. As a general rule, I don't assume that the player is being a jerk unless the actions taken are ruining the game for everyone else.

In short. If your character would nick the potion, then nick the potion. ;-)